"Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Tools Upgrade Guide"

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, players can choose between Yasuke and Naoe, each offering unique approaches to tackling challenges. Here's an in-depth look at the tools available in the game and how to upgrade them to enhance your gameplay experience.

All Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, players can unlock a total of five tools, with two becoming available through story progression. These tools are essential for both stealth and combat scenarios.

Grappling Hook

Naoe's Grappling Hook is a game-changer for exploration. It enables you to latch onto structures and ascend without handholds, perfect for reaching high vantage points swiftly. It's also useful for swinging across wide gaps, enhancing your mobility and strategic positioning.

Kunai

The Kunai is a lethal throwing knife ideal for silent takedowns. A single throw can eliminate common enemies instantly. However, for armored foes, upgrades are necessary to penetrate their defenses and ensure effective kills.

Smoke Bomb

The Smoke Bomb serves dual purposes as a defensive and offensive tool. It creates a smoke cloud that breaks enemy line of sight, facilitating escapes or setting up surprise attacks during combat.

Shuriken

Shurikens are versatile throwing stars crucial for navigating heavily guarded areas. While they don't deal as much damage as Kunai, they can stagger enemies and trigger environmental hazards like explosive barrels or alarm bells.

Shinobi Bell

The Shinobi Bell is perfect for those who prefer distraction over direct confrontation. Throwing it diverts enemy attention, and upgrades can enhance its range and effectiveness, allowing you to manipulate enemy movements to your advantage.

Related: How to Play the Assassin’s Creed Games in Order

How To Upgrade Tools in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image Source: Ubisoft via The Escapist

Upgrading your tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is crucial for enhancing their effectiveness. Most tools can be upgraded using Mastery Points via the Tools skill tree, except for the Grappling Hook.

Grappling Hook

The only upgrade for the Grappling Hook is found in the Shinobi Tree. For 2 Mastery Points at Knowledge Rank 2, you can unlock the Ascension Boost passive, which significantly speeds up Naoe’s climbing, making ascents quicker and stealthier.

Kunai

To maximize the Kunai's damage, focus on Kunai Assassination Damage upgrades, which increase the health segments removed per throw. Enhance its armor-piercing capabilities with the Armor Piercing passive skill, and use Everlast to ensure every Kunai can be retrieved without breaking.

Smoke Bomb

After unlocking the Smoke Bomb, upgrade it with Enduring Haze to extend its duration by 10 seconds, providing more time to act within the smoke. Additionally, Widespread enlarges the smoke cloud's area of effect, making it harder for enemies to spot you.

Shuriken

Upgrade your Shuriken with Bank Shot to enable ricocheting between targets, increasing damage with each bounce. Triple Threat allows you to throw three Shurikens simultaneously for the cost of one, offering greater versatility in both stealth and combat situations.

Shinobi Bell

Enhance the Shinobi Bell's distraction capabilities with the Golden Bell upgrade, which increases its visibility to enemies. Follow up with Louder Chimes to extend the effective radius by five meters, drawing more enemies into the distraction.

Understanding and upgrading these tools in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* will significantly improve your gameplay. For more tips and guides, visit The Escapist.

*Assassin’s Creed Shadows is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.*